Ride for Dad marks a decade in Swift Current with hundreds of riders

Tailpipes, leather jackets, and love for many fathers combined at this year's Ride for Dad in Swift Current. 

This year marked ten years of Ride for Dad in southwest Saskatchewan's biggest city and had a turnout to match that milestone with over 130 riders joining the pack. 

Together, they pulled $50,000 for the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation. This brings the total amount raised in Swift Current alone to over $650,000.

Larry has been the lead rider for a decade now, leading the charge down the highway in the fight against prostate cancer. 

Leading the ride this year was Larry James Carlton, who has been a key member of Motorcycle Ride for Dad in Swift Current since it began in 2013. 

"We were expecting possibly a better number than we've had in previous years, and it looks like it is a pretty good day for a ride," said Carlton. 

Riders first gathered for breakfast at the Living Sky Casino, where they enjoyed a $15 start to their day that contributed to the donation total. 

After that, there was some time to hang around and mingle with each other before everyone loaded up and rolled out for an RCMP-guided tour across Swift Current.

Bikers completely filled the parking lot with Harleys, Victorys, Spiders, Hondas, Yamahas, and other motorcycles. 

After the local ride, it was time to go provincial. The pack rumbled their chrome down the Trans-Canada, heading down to Eastend to meet up with riders from Medicine Hat and area for lunch. 

Once they met up there, they broke into three groups. The Alberta riders rallied back up the highway headed home, while the southwestern Saskatchewan crew split into one group that headed back through Shaunavon, while another splinter made their way back east towards Cadillac and Val Marie area. 

"We leave it open to the riders to decide what they want to do," revealed Carlton. "We just encourage everybody to be back by 4 o'clock for our closing ceremonies and presentations."

Eventually, folks did make their way back to the Living Sky Casino. After giving everyone a moment to rest, the days culminated in a presentation of a check for $50,000 to Dr. Anamd Krishnan, an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan. 

Dr. Krishnan had brought his family with him for the day to enjoy the event.

"One of the reasons we can diagnose this cancer at much early stages is because of things made possible because of active research and the money invested in this field," said Krishnan. "It's definite that [Ride for Dad] is improving the research, which is progressing in a direct, meaningful and positive way."

Krishnan also offered a presentation on how the money has been turned into impactful research developed recently. The plain English is that Ride for Dad has funded research that has been proven to lessen the effects of prostate cancer in trial testing on rodents. A huge step forward for potential future treatments.  

The plan is to, of course, come back again next year, as there is plenty of road left ahead in the fight against prostate cancer.